Ong Bak 2 Review

Ong Bak 2, 2008
Reviewed By: Dan S.
Directed By: Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Written By: Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Starring: Tony Jaa
Language: Thai

Lacking any literal connection to the original Ong Bak, this is a historical piece with some interesting Thai costumes, jungle settings, and natives. However, the boring camera work, bad storytelling, and sloppy editing ensure you won’t enjoy your stay. An infamous troubled production noted for Jaa’s increasingly unstable behavior and financial short comings, this is one seriously unwatchable mess. Lacking any type of emotional resonance, the narrative is impossible to follow as cryptic mumbo jumbo and non linear flashbacks attempt to convey some sort of decade spanning spiritual revenge story with an abrupt non-ending as the money ran out. Most of the action is saved for the last half with some painfully slow pacing that makes the movie feel much longer than it really is.

Jaa has some impressive moments when he runs atop a real herd of elephants but there are precious few eye catching stunts. Ultimately the fight sequences are soulless and detached, void of any drama or suspense as our stoic hero is continuously rushed by waves of faceless enemies from some unknown origin off camera. Some scenes are more ambitiously filmed than others, most likely the ones original director Rittikrai finished before he quit. Much like Jaa's enemies, supporting characters appear and disappear with no explanation throughout the head scratching narrative. The most noteworthy being some sort of ghost that appears out of nowhere, kicks Jaa’s ass, steals his elephant, and leaves him for dead during the climax. Yes, you read that right, and its way more boring than it sounds.

One fist out of five

Harry Brown Review

Harry Brown, 2009
Reviewed by: Dan S.
Directed by: Daniel Barber
Written by: Gary Young
Starring: Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, and Doug Bradley.
Language: English

Bleeding its average running time for all its worth, Harry Brown is a moody slow burner that builds and builds with sickening dread before ambushing the viewer with jubilant righteous violence and gritty tough guy action. Impressive debut director Daniel Barber establishes a paranoid detailed atmosphere of gloomy urban decay where threatening graffiti covers every wall, heavy shadows conceal unthinkable menace, and savage gang beatings leave random victims bloody messes on the pavement. The few uncompromising glimpses of harsh street life the film offers are more than enough as they are incredibly uncomfortable to watch. The mostly piano based ambient score is, not surprisingly, the unnerving atonal sound of a horror film. The action sequences that dominate the fast-paced second act are limited to brief bursts of realistic gun play that may lack flash, but are uncommonly intelligent and suspenseful.

Sparing us not even a single wrinkle, thinning white hair, or dry cough, Caine looks his years and then some. The helplessness he expresses during the initial stages of the movie is absolutely heart wrenching, but despite his frailties, he gives the impression of someone holding back a terrible darkness within himself. Even after he gradually regains the intimidating posture and icy stare of his classic gangster roles, great pains are taken to make him a credible threat, while still constantly reminding the viewer of his physical limitations and vulnerabilities. The supporting cast is top catch, a memorable rogues gallery of villains that range from pathetic junkie hustlers to cocky punks, and a terrifying drug dealer that looks like the bastard child of Charles Manson and Scott Wieland. The great David Bradley provides some powerful moments in a small, sympathetic part while the compassionate Emily Mortimer offers welcomed breaks from the harsh masculine brutality that dominates the film.

Rating:

Jennfier's Body Review

Jennifer's Body, 2009
Reviewed by: Dan S.
Directed by: Karyn Kusama
Written by: Diablo Cody
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Megan Fox
Language: English

Utilizing bright warm colors, occasional surreal imagery, and smooth camera work, director Karyn Kusama creates an ironic dreamy atmosphere for this cruel high school horror/comedy. Screen writer Diablo Cody uses deadpan humor and macabre supernatural elements to craft an ultimately tragic exploration of the intriguing, complex relationship between two adolescent girls. While the story itself is straighforward, there are some interesting themes to be found. The effects are minimal but convincing, a subtle mix of make up and CGI for reptilian eye and mouth morphing. The violence is stylized and usually off screen, the camera often lingering on the gory aftermath instead. Nudity is teased but never shown, and the film's most carefully staged erotic moment is as suspenseful as it is alluring. Theodore Shaprio and Stephen Barton`s heavy metal guitar-driven score is sometimes distracting, however the memorable main motif is a cool mood-setting throwback to 80s slashers.

Much of the comedy comes from the dumb but amusing teen dialogue, but there is also a great deal of twisted, pitch-black gallows humor. The horror of the film generates more uneases than creeps, but surprisingly, it's the melodrama and superb acting that make this one so worth while. All of the main characters are sympathetic and the spacious but impactful death scenes carry a surprising amount of weight uncommon to the genre. As the conflicted and heart broken lead, Amanda Seyfried conveys much of her emotional arc with her huge expressive eyes. As the title character, Megan Fox's dark sex appeal and effortless charisma are naturally iconic, but it's her ability to hint at repressed vulnerability that elevates her above your average evil babe. Veteran character actor JK Simmons draws a chuckle with every modest screen time as a clueless but well meaning teacher.

Rating:

Noroi Review

Noroi, 2005
Reviewed by: Dan S.
Directed by: Kôji Shiraishi
Written by: Kôji Shiraishi (uncredited)
Starring: Jin Muraki, Maria Takagi
Language: Japanese

Noroi is presented as an investigative documentary from a now missing television ghost hunter. So while there is some amateur shaky camera work during the more action orientated climax, a majority of the movie is interestingly made up of clips from investigations, variety television shows, news reports, and interviews. There is even a subtle musical score, appropriately simple enough to pass off as a modest television presentation, but also effective enough at setting the spooky mood. The narrative is fairly complex as our protagonist travels all over Tokyo, interviewing a large memorable cast of TV personalities, psychics, experts, lunatics, and other witnesses to the supernatural. Gradually it nbecomes clear there is a common thread connecting these seemingly unrelated but escalating paranormal curiosities, establishing an alluring mystery that drives the narrative in the second act.

The huge cast all give credible, convincing performances. Even the more amusing weirdoes are no more over-the-top than the average television psychic. The supernatural occurrences are creepy but fairly low key, with the cameras and audio recorders not catching anything you wouldn't see on a "true haunting" program. Ultimately, it is the unbearable dread generated by the growing sense that something very evil and deadly is slowly closing in on the characters that makes this film so effectively chilling. Very subtle CGI is used maybe once or twice, but its not really noticable enough to break the suspension of disbelief. While this is a mostly bloodless affair, the brief violence and explicit supernatural activity that shockingly erupts in the final act is a satisfying payoff for the film's unusual lengthy build.

Rating:

District 13 Review

District 13, 2004
Reviewed by Daniel S.
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Written By: Luc Besson, Bibi Naceri
Staring: David Belle, Cyril Raffaelli, Dany Verissimo.
Language: French

An understudy of French super auteur Luc Besson, director Pierre Morel's gritty debut is a blur of an action movie that blitzes through its short running time with a non-stop barrage of shaky camera work, kinetic editing, and dance club beats. Producer/writer Luc Besson's script is effectively simple and straightforward, merely establishing motivation and urgency for District's 13 tightly chained action sequences. Blessed with incredibly talented and innovative martial artists, Morel boldly turns his performers loose without the use of CGI or wires, making for a truly unique action experience.

Performing more stunts than dialogue, colorful French martial artist David Belle steals the movie with his innovative “Parkour” stunts in lengthy foot chases up and down stairs, across roof tops, and even the narrow hallways of apartment buildings. His work is unique and jaw dropping not so much for the risks but the athletic creativity he demonstrates. Having a bit more screen time and dialogue, the stoic Cyril Raffaelli handles the much more traditional martial art fight sequences as an undercover cop, though he is no less creative, incorporating unusual props such as car stirring wheels into his brawls. In supporting roles, late character actor Tony D-Amario is memorable as a bumbling henchman, youthful looking adult film actress Dany Verissimo is surprisingly sympathetic as the babe in peril, and Bibi Naceri is convincing as the sleazy villain.

Rating:

Invisible Target Review

Invisible Target, 2007

Reviewed by Dan S.

Directed by: Benny Chan

Written by: Benny Chan, Rams Ling, and Melody Lui

Starring: Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Wu-Jing, Jaycee Chan

Language: Cantonese, Mandarian.

Liberally lifting ideas and scenes from such genre classics as Hard Boiled, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Ong Bak, and The Matrix to name a view…Benny Chan’s buddy cop yarn Invisible Target is a two plus hour marathon of action movie clichés. Seemingly on a tight budget, the movie has a cheaper look than its Hong Kong contemporaries and is mostly located in abandoned low budget standbys that wouldn’t be out of place in an Amercian direct to video production. While Chan does manage to string together a couple of fun downtown chase sequences its nothing you haven’t seen before, and done much better.

Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue share leading man duties but the script doesn’t really give either actor much to do except chase bad guys and beat them up. Despite this emphasis on action, both men prove to be lackluster martial artists, showing little personality and relying heavily on wire assisted kicks. As the villainous gang leader Wu Jing is the film’s most experienced martial artist, staging and carrying the film’s better fight scenes. As a rookie cop living with his grandmother, the youthful awkwardness of Jaycee Chan gives the movie its only emotional pull, providing some good laughs and touching moments. Seemingly aware of these two performers’ value, Chan is smart enough to give his supporting talents a most unusual amount of screen time, elevating an otherwise average production as a result….but one wanders why he just didn’t trim out the unnecessary fat all together and focus the movie on them.

Two Fists Out of Five

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Review

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, 2009

Reviewed by Dan S.

Directed by: Werner Herzog

Written by: William Finklestein

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, Brad Dourif, and Xzibit.

Bearing only superficial similarities to the brutal 1992 neo noir Bad Lieutenant, ...Port of Call New Orleans is not so much a character study but the neutral observation of a police detective’s cocaine fueled descent into self destructive behavior. As the film unfolds it becomes clear that this is not a cautionary tale of redemption but a hilarious and suspenseful farce about how much this madman can get away with before it all catches up with him. Legendary German New Wave director Werner Herzog successfully executes his unique style to perfection as he explores the mad and surreal with exciting documentary grit and authenticity. The atmosphere is muggy and suffocating as the hot Louisiana sun constantly blares through shuttered windows in a natural but slightly stylized way. Without the use of any CGI or artificial staging, the camera often hypnotically dwells on natural cloud formations, interesting locals, and live exotic animals, while sporadic drug induced hallucinations are so casually presented they are as real to the viewer as the tripping Lieutenant himself. Conducting a diverse standout score, Mark Isham’s moody jazz evokes classic film noir with a strange acid twist while the frequent use of classic blues recordings add to the New Orleans vibe.

In the film’s most prominent supporting role, a rough looking Eva Mendes shines with a shockingly solid dramatic performance as a sympathetic prostitute. Dourif and Kilmer add interesting color in small character parts, but this is really the Nic Cage show, and everyone else is just props for him to project his misguided affection and profane rage upon. Herzog lets Hollywood’s craziest leading man run wild and the gamble pays off. Much like the veteran director, Cage really doesn’t add any new dimension to his game, but his jittery bug-eyed histrionics have never been better timed and more appropriately staged. His exaggerated mannerisms and outbursts are not distracting over acting - they are the foundation the movie is built around.

Rating:

I Sell the Dead Review

I Sell the Dead, 2008

Reviewed by: Dan S.

Directed by: Glenn McQuaid

Written by: Glenn McQuaid

Starring: Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden

In the Victorian period horror/comedy I Sell the Dead a young imprisoned grave robber recalls the more unusual jobs he pulled with his mentor in the form of lineal inter-connected short stories. The low key but energetic first act is by far the most successful but the second half falters when the pace slows down and goofy comic book villains and plot elements are clumsily introduced and rushed into an abrupt sloppy conclusion. In his directing debut, Glenn McQuaid, does a serviceable job of pouring on the classic gothic horror atmosphere with blinding fog machines and the always distant baying of the hounds. He also shows restraint with the gore, saving the modest but bright blood fountains for the film’s final climax. However, he struggles to maintain energy and often exposes the limited budget, utilizing poor looking CGI effects, despite the monster make up, sets, and designs being very impressive.

The film boasts big genre names in Ron Perlman and Angus Scrim, but unfortunately neither has much to do other than provide presence in very small roles. Likable character actor Dominic Monaghan dominates in the fast talking leading role, always natural and reasonably charismatic despite a fairly one dimensional part. Producer Fessenden costars as the ugly half of the duo in a solid but ultimately one note character performance. While the capable acting is refreshing for a low budget movie, everyone seems limited by the fairly shallow banter and overall writing. Monaghan and Fessenden generate most of the film's humor through their physical comedy. However, they lack chemistry and just aren’t very believable mates.

Rating: